[翻譯]Mo: Save the worry

May 09, 2007

Mo: Save the worry

Confident he'll close door on doubts

BY ANTHONY McCARRON

Published : May 9th 2007 / New York Daily News

Mariano Rivera is sitting at his locker at the Stadium, tucked into a corner of the Yankee clubhouse and mostly hidden from view. It is a peaceful spot in a busy room and perhaps provides just the kind of solace the struggling closer needs as he tries to pitch through what he calls "the worst start of my career."

The 37-year-old Rivera, generally considered the best closer in baseball history, entered last night's game against the Rangers with a 1-3 record, an 8.44 ERA and just three saves in five chances. Opponents were hitting .318 against him. He lost Monday's game when he gave up a home run to Seattle's Adrian Beltre, the second-game winning homer he's allowed this year, but he insists he hasn't lost it.

"It's easy when everything goes fine," Rivera said. "You show your true character when you struggle like this. I don't know what people are thinking about me, but I know I feel the same way as I did last year and the year before. I feel real good, the velocity is there. It's nothing I have lost, it just happens. If you are a closer, you're going to blow saves and get saves. There's no in between.

"I feel I'm being tested right now, my character, my faith, how I conduct myself. It's different. But I love it. If God allows this test to be on me, hey, I'm willing to carry it. We are just starting; we'll see where we finish.

"I'm going to battle," Rivera continued. "I'm not going to sit down and start crying and wonder what happened. No, I'm not going to second-guess myself. I'm just going to do what I have to do. I believe I'll finish strong."

With a few consecutive saves, a few cutters barreling in on hitters' hands, these questions will burn away like an early morning mist in a warming sun. But if this is a real downward trend for Rivera, the Yankees' season may be doomed, no matter how good Roger Clemens is.

Inside the clubhouse, the Yankees believe Rivera will be the same old Mo. And some opponents, such as the Rangers' Michael Young and Frank Catalanotto, can't understand the fuss. They were amazed at Rivera's famed cutter when the Yanks were in Texas last week.

But Rivera has been unable to make that cutter go where he wants all the time this season. Yankee catcher Jorge Posada says that when Rivera's location has been off, the ball has drifted over the heart of the plate, easy pickings for major league hitters.

A major league scout who regularly watches Rivera said while the pitcher is still throwing his cutter between 93 and 95 miles per hour, it has been coming in higher in the strike zone, making it easier for hitters to see.

"The further the ball is from your eyes, the harder it is to see, unless it's up in your eyes," the scout said. "Maybe he's got a little edge off because of his irregular work, like one thing leads to another. If he's on a normal schedule, he's unhittable. I think he'll bring the ball down and he'll be back to being Mariano Rivera. Maybe it's a week, maybe tonight."

Rivera believes that his irregular work schedule has hurt him this season. He had made 12 appearances, which is actually slightly above average for this date in the season over his career, but two of his appearances came on the same day - both ends of a doubleheader. He's already pitched six times on rest of three or more days. All of last season, he pitched on similar rest 11 times.

He had thrown 10-2/3 innings, an unusually low number. And his five save opportunities were tied for the fewest of his career over the same period.

到目前為止, 他僅僅投了10又2/3局, 這數字少得非常不尋常。他總共有5次救援成功的機會, 這也平了他職業生涯中同時期的最低記錄。

"Pitching is finesse, and if you don't do it constantly, you will lose it," Rivera said. "I'm not saying that because I'm doing bad, to create an excuse. I don't want you to think that. I'd just hope for more opportunities."